Her Hand in Mine
by aya-kun
Summary: I'll always remember it. Her smiling face, her light blush.


Done right after reading 61. Oh Tsukimori-kun~

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Her hand in mine

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Tsukimori Len leaned on a wall, catching a breather. He'd been continually bombarded with well wishes, envious looks, begrudging handshakes, and, the strangest of all, sighing girls. Was there something he had done? Was it really worth expending effort to be nice to him just because he was going abroad? He didn't quite understand. He'd worked hard for this, and his work had merely paid off. There wasn't anything else to be expected.

Hearing footsteps coming close, he pushed himself off the wall and walked away. He recognized the lighter steps, the clear striking of high-heels on the floor. Was there something on him that made them follow? He'd already checked to see if he'd had something on him. A loose thread, a stain, anything. Nothing. There was nothing. And frankly when he'd stopped to see why they followed, they didn't speak anymore. Unknown to him, his sudden glare had dried their throats.

Len had had enough. Maybe it was the atmosphere more than the food. He'd heard about how parties, no matter how elegant, would at times get a bit…loose, so to speak. This was maybe one of those times.

Sighing, Len moved to avoid the crowd. He didn't really need to have non-speaking girls following him, nor did he need any more congratulations. It was tiring to accept it all. Because unknown to them, Len had been trying his best to smile back and be all gracious like he'd seen his _sempai_s do. But really, it wasn't him so he gave up.

It was as he returned to being a wallflower that the one and only person who had the guts to smile cheekily at him, had decided to step right up to his face and ask him…

"_Ne_, Tsukimori-kun. Don't you feel like dancing?" Kaho looked up at his face, moving hers in clear view beneath the bangs he'd used to cover up the crowd.

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Kaho had noticed him moving around the room, wondering aimlessly. Or avoiding the crowds. Of girls. She didn't know how, despite being a guy, he could be so dense when it came to girls.

She'd seen him searching his suit where a stain or a thread might have been, at least that much she supposed. And correctly apparently, if his impatient look at the girls were an indication. Their chatting had come to a stop when he'd done as they said and he'd stopped to listen. He'd waited but the glare had robbed them of speech. Kaho had giggled at the scene. Kaji had turned to her, asking why. She only shook her head.

Soon after, Kaho had left her partner for the evening to entertain his new friends. She waved away his look of apology as she went for drinks. Reaching the table, she saw Tsukimori walking away from the table. He seemed to be heading for the wall again…After making sure no one was near it.

Kaho chuckled. Foregoing the drinks, she walked right up to her teacher. "Hey." Tsukimori leveled her a look. She ignored it. "_Ne_, Tsukimori-kun. Don't you feel like dancing?"

His surprised look was the most emotion any one got out of him today. Unknown to them both, people within earshot were looking. Surprised at this turn of events. Tsukimori was looking at Hino. Hino was smiling at him. And then suddenly pouting, she gave him a stern look. His brows reached his hairline. And then he eloquently goes…

"Gah!" Kaho had taken matters into her own hands and grabbed his hand. Pulling him to the dance area, Tsukimori became resigned as he saw no way of leaving without causing a scene.

At least that was what he told himself.

Kaho meanwhile, refused to wonder why she was making him dance. Tsukimori was Tsukimori. His last evening in Seiso ought to be spent having fun, she reasoned. And this she told him precisely when he asked why she wanted to dance with him. "I don't pity you, Tsukimori-kun." _More to the point, I doubt anyone can dredge up such a feeling for you. _"I just think you should enjoy things as they come and not run away from it." _…Before you leave. _No!_ I mean, always. Always enjoy._

"I'm not running away," he said with a frown. His arm circling her waist as the music began another song. Kaho didn't expect it and so grew a bit flustered. The music became a waltz. _Ah! I'm the one who asked for the dance. Just relax, Kaho._

They danced. And Tsukimori felt…_This isn't bad. _Both felt themselves relax and soon enough, Kaho was enjoying herself. Trying to coax responses from him was fun.

"What's the first thing you'll do abroad?" She'd been questioning him about his trip. Tsukimori, on the inside, couldn't decide if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

He raised a brow. "Easy. Play."

Kaho chuckled. "I'd have said, 'Eat.'"

"Huh." Kaho stared at his almost smile. And then made a face when he continued, "Sounds like you."

"Hmph." After a moment, she asked, "What piece then?"

"Hmm?"

"What will you play?"

Tsukimori had to think. "I…don't know."

Kaho looked away, and as the tune grew more intimate, found herself leaning on him slightly. "How about Schubert?" She felt him stiffen and then relax.

"Yeah." She'd referred to one particular composition. And he'd understood it. _Ave Maria._ The song that connected them. Their beginning.

Making a decision, Kaho thought to herself, _I'll play it too. A duet across the miles, _she mused, smiling.

The song ended and the two stepped back. Kaho shook off her melancholy and grinned at Tsukimori, ready to ask again.

He beat her to it. "Do want to dance again?"

Kaho gave a small smile. "I'd like that."

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_The song started once more and, as she placed her hand in mine, I couldn't help but smile at her. I'd always remember this moment. Her smiling face, lightly flushed, happiness pouring from her and into me._

_I'm on a plane that's taking me away from her._

_And yet I can still feel her hand on mine._

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_Why is that, I wonder?_

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a/n: ayaah~ talk about dense.

_ eeee~ this became too long and then I went off-course from what I wanted…hmm…it turned out okay in the end…………………….right? ^^; it's been a while since I've asked this, but please R&R! Thanks. (^v^)


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